McDonald's Grilled Chicken Sandwich History

The fast food chain discontinued its grilled chicken sandwich in 2020 after failing to meet sales goals.

Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Dining Out

Gouache-painted illustration of a clean commercial flattop grill with a solitary spatula, symbolizing the optimization of fast-food kitchen space. — McDonald's discontinued its grilled chicken sandwich in 2020 after the menu item failed to meet sales goals and hindered kitchen efficiency. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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McDonald's removed its grilled chicken sandwich from U.S. menus in 2020. The decision followed years of product iterations and ultimately poor sales performance.

Why it matters

The removal highlights how fast food chains prioritize kitchen space for highly profitable items. Insufficient demand and menu cannibalization made the item unsustainable.

McDonald's first introduced a grilled chicken sandwich in 1993 and later reformulated it into the Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich in 2015. Both iterations were removed from U.S. menus in 2020 due to low customer demand.

The players

McDonald's

McDonald's is a global fast food corporation that frequently adjusts its menu to balance profitability and consumer demand.

The details

The grilled chicken sandwich was prepared on a flattop and required dedicated space in universal holding cabinets. Because the item failed to reach minimum sales thresholds, the brand removed it along with salads to optimize kitchen efficiency.

1993: McDonald's introduced the original grilled chicken sandwich.
2015: The chain unveiled the reformulated Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich.
2020: The grilled chicken sandwich was officially discontinued.
September 2026: Executives discussed future chicken menu expansion plans.

Culture Shift

This move mirrors a broader industry trend where chains prioritize kitchen efficiency by cutting underperforming items. The 2020 removal of salads and grilled chicken from McDonald's menus highlights how brands sacrifice menu variety to capitalize on higher-margin products.

Consumers looking for grilled options will continue to see a focus on other chicken-based items in their local restaurants. While the specific sandwich remains off the menu, rising beef prices may eventually influence future additions to the chain's lineup.

The takeaway

Fast food menus are highly dynamic environments designed to maximize kitchen throughput and profit margins. Customers should anticipate that chains will continue to prune underperforming items as they adapt to changing supply costs.